Still and fire box



Dec. 13, 1932. J. B. RATHER 1,890,836

STILL AND FIRE BOX Filed July 19, 1929 g Sheets-Sheet 1 moiaa ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1932. J. B. RATHER 1,890,886

STILL AND FIRE BOX Filed July 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR iv /i648 55 w BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1932.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES B. RATHER, OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MAGNOLIA PETROLEUM GOIAPANY, OEDALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS STILL AND FIR-E BOX Application filed July 19,

This invention relates to stills and fire boxes and more particularly to the provision of improved means for supporting a fire-box of the suspended type.

' In general. externally fired oil stills haveheretofore been supported on brick walls which either form or enclose the still fire box or combustion chamber. W ith this arrangement, it is well known that the: recurrent wide variations in temperature to which the still is subjected, coupled with the usual deposit of carbon on the inner surfaces of the still, generally cause warping or buckling of the still which frequently results in injury by cracking'or otherwiseto the brick walls supporting the still.

To the end of reducing damage of this nature, it has been proposed to suspend the still from an overhead framework and to suspend the fire-box from the still, or, in other words, to utilize the still as a support for the fire-box. In accordance with this arrangement, the still is supported from the framework by means of hanger rods secured to brackets or lugs attached to the sides'of the still, while the fire-box is hung from con tinuous angle iron lugs also secured to the sides of the still below the still supporting lugs.

Although in this arrangement, the still is not supported by the fire-box walls, yet the fire-box is directly connected to and in contact with the still and in consequence is liable to be damaged by the recurrent expansion and contraction of the still as in the old arrangement referred to.

The present invention, however, effectually avoids the disadvantages of these prior constructions by providing a support for the 401 fire-box which is completely independent of the still and the means directly supporting it which permits the still to expand and con tract independently of the fire-box and the setting.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved means for supporting a fire-box of the suspended type.

Another object of t as present invention is to provide an improved means for supporting 5 a still and fire-box whereby the fire-box will 1929. Serial No. 379,390.

be independent of and unaffected by changes occurring in the still due to temperature variations and otherwise.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a still having a suspended lirebox supported independently of the still and the means directly supporting it.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, in which:

- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a still and fire box supported in accordance with the present invention Fig. 2 is a reduced vertical longitudinal sectional view of the still and firebox, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged side and front elevations respectively of a fire-box lug and supporting means, and.

Figs; 5 and 6 are enlarged side and front elevations respectively of a still lug and supporting means.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a cylindrical oil still suspended imposition from a support or frame work constituting a setting and represented generally at 11. The still has a plurality of lugs 12 riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the sides of the still at intervals throughout its length, and as shown, each of the lugs is provided with a pair of spaced webs 13. The still is suspended from the framework 11 by means of sup porting or hanger rods 14 engaging the lugs 12 and adjustably secured at their upper ends to cross members 15 ofthe framework 11, the cross members being supported by columns 16 preferably imbedded in brickwork 17.

The firebox, represented generally at 18, comprises preferably a steel framework, substantially U-shaped in cross-section, lined internally with firebrick or other suitable fire or heat resisting material; 19. Riveted or otherwise secured to the upper edge portions of thefirebox are a plurality of supporting lugs 20 preferably spaced, as shown, so as to lie directly below the cross members 15 of the framework 11 and the still supporting lugs 12. Spacers in the form of channels 21 100 are also attached by riveting or otherwise to the inner upper edge portions of the firebox, as shown to insure suflicient space for the fire or heat resisting material 19 to extend up to the side of the still, thereby preventing the loss of heat.

The firebox is supported directly from the framework or setting 11 by means of hanger rods and. clevis-like members 23. The upper ends of the hanger rods 22 are preferably adjustably secured to the cross members 15, and at their lower ends are connected to the clevis-like members 23, which in turn are attached to the firebox supporting lugs 20. The members 23 are preferably formed, as shown, so as to straddle the still supporting lugs 12 and may be conveniently strengthsued by means of struts 24.

With this arrangement it is apparent that the firebox and its supports are completely separated from and independent of the still as Well as the means directly supporting the still. The firebox consequently Will not be affected or damaged by deformations in the still due to buckling, Warping or other causes and is thus completely independent of or unaffected by expansions and contractions in the still.

While I have thus specifically described my invention, various modifications thereof may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is therefore my intention that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising a still, a fire-box and a support,

hanger rods for suspending the still from the support and hanger rods independent of said first mentioned hanger rods and independent of the still for suspending the fire-box from the support to thereby support the fire-box so that-it is unaffected by expansion and contraction of the still.

2. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising a still, a firebox and a support, a plurality of lugs on the still, hanger rods connecting the support and said lugs, hanger rods for suspending the fire-box from the support, said hanger rods being independent of the still and the hanger rods supporting the still, the fire-box hanger rods being connected to the fire-box at points located substantially in line ith the still lugs and still hanger rods.

8. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising a setting, a still and a fire-box placed Within said setting and constituting structural units separate from each other and from the setting, the said fire-box being positioned to constitute a heating zone for firing said still, means outside of said heating zone for supporting the still from the setting to permit expansion and contraction of the still independently of the setting and means also outside of said heating zone for supporting the firebox from the setting to permit expansion and contraction of the still independently of the fire-box.

4. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising a fire-box, a still extending into said fire-box and contacting therewith to form a substantially enclosed heating zone, a setting, means for suspending the still from the setting and separate supporting members for suspending the fire-box from the setting and maintaining it in the aforesaid position relative to the still but permitting the still to expand and contract independently of the fire-box.

5. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising as separate structural units a still, a fire-box and a setting, still supporting members for suspending the still from the setting and fire-box supporting members independent of the still supporting members for suspending the fire-box from the setting thereby to permit expansion and contraction of the still independently of the setting and fire-box.

6. Apparatus of the character set forth comprising a still, a fire-box and a setting, means for suspending the still from the setting including a plurality of lugs secured to the still and a plurality of supporting members secured to said lugs and the setting, and means for suspending the fire-box from the setting including a plurality of supporting members independent of said first mentioned supporting members and connected to the fire-box and setting and having portions which straddle the lugs secured to the still.

7. Apparatus of the character disclosed which comprises an overhead support, a still and a fire-box disposed below said overhead support, supporting means for suspending said still from said overhead support, and independent supporting means for suspending said fire-box from said overhead support.

8. Apparatus of the character disclosed which comprises a setting, a still Within said setting, a fire-box Within said setting and in contact With said still thereby to establish a heating zone for firing said still, means for supporting the still from said setting, and additional independent means for yieldably supporting the said fire-box from the setting.

This specification signed this 16 day of July, 1929.

JAMES B. RATHER. 

